This invention concerns a throttle valve construction for automotive engines. Throttle valves typically comprise a throttle plate disc attached to a throttle shaft mounted extending across the bore of a throttle body receiving inlet air flow from an intake manifold.
The throttle shaft is rotated to control the air flow by variably restricting the throttle bore with the throttle plate by rotating the throttle shaft.
Conventional practice has been to construct both the throttle blade and shaft of metal, attaching the plate to the shaft with small screws passing through holes in the plate and received into small threaded holes in the shaft.
These small screws can become loose and get drawn into the engine, creating severe mechanical problems. The use of separate fasteners also increases manufacturing costs.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved throttle shaft and plate construction which eliminates separate fasteners such as the small screws described above.